Breeches construction



March 23, 1937.

G. O. VAN BEBBER BREECHES CONSTRUCTION Fig 5 Filed March 26, 1935 Glenn Van /Mk bebber Fig. I

Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,074,574 BREECHES CONSTRUCTION Glenn 0. Van Bebber, Denver, Colo.

Application March 26,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to breeches construction, and more particularly to a construction for breeches of that type variously known as riding breeches, sport breeches, military breeches, hiking breeches, and the like, wherein the knee portion of the breeches leg is arranged to fit snugly about the knee of the wearer and the breeches leg terminates in a sleeve-like member, known as the calf portion, arranged for manual closing to a snug fit about the calf of the wearer, and has as an object to provide an improved construction for the knee portion of such breeches, whereby a smooth, snug and pleasing fit of such knee portion can be had with enhanced ease and comfort on the part of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction for the knee portionv of breeches, which construction greatly facilitates alteration of the knee and calf portions of such breeches for adjustment thereof to an exact and pleasing fit on a given wearer.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved breeches construction wherethrough free and unlimited knee action of the wearer may be had.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved breeches construction wherethrough binding and cramping of the breeches'knee portion about the flexed knee of a wearer is eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved breeches construction operable to relieve the excessive strains to which knee portions of conventionally-constructed breeches are commonly subjected.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved breeches construction applicable to either custom-made or ready-to-wear garments, which is readily incorporated during manufacture of the garment, and which is, in use, efficient to the ends set forth.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claim and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the knee and calf portions of a breeches leg constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention. Figure 2 is an elevation of the showing of Figure 1 turned inside out. Figure 3 is an elevation of the elements shown in Figure 1 as altered for adjustment of fit. Figure 4 is an elevation similar to Figure 2 and illustrating a modified arrangement of the improvement. Figure 5 is an elevation 1935, Serial No. 13,053

similar to Figure 3 illustrating an altered condition of the modification according to Figure 4. Figure 6 is an elevation similar to Figure 1 illustrating a still further modified arrangement of the invention. Figure '7 is a cross section, on an enlarged scale, through the knee portion of a breeches leg constructed according to the showing of Figure 1. Figure 8 is a cross section similar to Figure 7 taken through the calf portion of a breeches leg constructed according to the showing of Figure 4.

In the manufacture of knee-fitting breeches, it is conventional practice to form the thigh and knee portions of each breeches leg of suitably shaped front and rear panels interconnected by means of inner and outer side seams, the knee portion terminating in a straight edge just below the knee position of a wearer and being secured along its lower margin to the terminal calf portion of the garment, which latter is usually provided with a longitudinal-opening arranged for manual closing after the garment has been donned, lacings, suitably arranged buttons and buttonholes, and slide fasteners, being variously employed to effect closure of the garment calf portion. With such a construction, a smooth, snug fit of the garment knee portion can be had through suitable cut of the front and rear panels and adjustment thereof at the interconnecting seams during manufacture, but such a fit permits of no fullness or slack in the knee portion and results in binding and cramping of the wearers knee and excessive strains on the knee portion fabric of the garment when the knee is flexed. When the garment is out for comfort and relief of the strains just above mentioned, the fullness necessarily left in the knee portion of the garment destroys any semblance of a smooth, snug fit there. Conventional breeches construction normally provides a longitudinal back seam in the calf portion of the garment where alterations for adjustment in calf size can be had, but no provision other than the side seams, which are normally welted, finished, or covered with overlies, is made for adjustable alteration of the knee portion.

In the construction of the improvement as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and '7, the usual rear panel of a conventional breeches construction is indicated by ably tapered to a knee portion by means of stitching indicated at H to a conventional breeches calf portion 12, which latter is provided with the usual alterable back seam l3 and. is preferably bound or otherwise finished Hi and secured the numeral 10, which panel is suit- I5, vertical in respect to the garment wearer, is formed in the portion of the rear panel I 0 and extends from the lower margin of said portion I0 I3. Margins of the slit I5 are suitably finished or inturned and stitched to opposite parallel edges of an insert panel I6, which latter is folded and positioned to form a box plait in back- I5 is limited by suitable stitching I1 WhlCh preferably extends through the insert panel I 6, thus securely fastening the upper end of said panel I6 to the rear panel IQ of the garment. The lower end of the slit I5 and insert panel I6 is open prior to attachment of the calf portion I2, the seam I I interconnecting the knee portion I0 and calf portion convenient adjustment in breeches knee size without any necessity for disturbing the principal side seams of the garment.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the insert panel I6 may be of a length to extend from the upper end of the slit I5 to the lower margin of the calf portion I2, in which case adjoining margins of the calf portion I2, normally meeting in the seam I3, are separately secured to side extended insert panel I6 in the same manner as described, for margins of the slit I5 and said calf portion margins then stitched to and through the box plait formed by the lower portion of the II being continued through and across said panel to close the box I5 separated the desired amount, and the said calf portion margins restitched through the panel I6 from the seam II to the lower end of the por- As indicated in Figure 8, I6 of the construction according to Figures 4 and 5 may be formed as a flap I6 cut integrally with one of the portions of the calf I2, thus eliminating naturally, being cut with an upwardly extending offset arportion behind the In the modified construction according to Figure' 6, the rear leg panel I 0 is cut off above the II) se- IB connecting edge of said gins of the plait formed in the insert I0" may or otherwise, to enhance their tendency to return to parallel, adjacent relation.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the improved construction,

GLENlV o. VAN BEBBER. 

